


Nothing like a visit home

by violetbear



Series: Beyond all reason [18]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-25 05:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21351247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetbear/pseuds/violetbear
Summary: Scott brings the rest of his family for a visit home.
Relationships: Jaal Ama Darav/Male Ryder | Scott
Series: Beyond all reason [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1109202
Comments: 6
Kudos: 77





	Nothing like a visit home

**Author's Note:**

> Happy N7 day!!  
Thanks to DragonLoverForever for the idea.  
Thanks to MyrddinDerwydd for expanding the shelesh language and giving me new words. [Shelesh: Word Lists & Examples](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20466563)

Scott leaned on the wall, arms crossed, watching the chaos. Hoping no one did anything culturally inappropriate.  
“Taoshay.” Jaal walked over and kissed him. “Stop worrying. They’re doing fine.”  
“I’m not.” He wrapped his arms around him and snuggled in. “You’re sure they’re good?”  
“The family loves them. Now come on. My true mother wants to see you before we go.”  
“Sure. No problem. Lead the way, Taoshay.”

As they crossed the room, he searched the group for his crew. Liam was explaining something to the youngest Angara. By the hand gestures, he figured it involved some kind of explosion. Suvi was in the kitchen area, talking to Feladyr. Knowing Suvi, she was trying to get samples of native Heleus food. Cora was with Teviint. He couldn’t see any of the others. Which was a little worrying but if Jaal said they were good they were good. Right? 

He hadn’t thought he would worry so much when he agreed to Sahuna’s request. Her request to meet the rest of his family. At first he’d been confused. She’d already met Sara. When she had been cleared for short trips off Meridian, Havarl was the first place he took her. Almost instantly she was in the thick of things. Just another member of the family. He sent off an email saying this. Sahuna emailed back clarifying that she meant his crew. He couldn’t say no to her (could anyone?) so he called a meeting and asked everyone if they would join him and Jaal on their next visit. Unfortunately everyone said it sounded like fun so here they were. Maybe Jaal was right. He was a little worried.

“There’s my ongaan”, Sahuna said, pulling him away from Jaal and hugging him. “How are you, dear?”  
“Good, mysentev. Thank you for inviting us.”  
“I’ve told you-“  
“Don’t need an invitation, I know.” He pulled away slightly to smile at her. “Regret asking everyone yet?”  
“Never. They’re all very interesting.”  
“They are that. Keep me on my toes.”  
She laughed before kissing his cheek.

“Is that why you don’t visit as often?”  
“The exact reason. Can’t leave them alone too long. Liable to mutiny on me.”  
“No way. You inspire lasting loyalty, Pathfinder. We all love you.”  
“Mother.” Jaal wrapped an arm around him. “Enough. You’re embarrassing him.”  
“No, no”, he insisted though he could feel his cheeks getting hot. “I’m fine. Really.”  
“See? He’s fine, Jaal. But if you’ll excuse me, I see Cora is free and I wanted to talk to her before you left.” She gave them both a kiss before walking away.

“Have I told you how much I love your mysen”, he asked Jaal, wrapping his arms around his neck.  
“She loves you more”, Jaal said, kissing him. “Just like all her children.”  
“So am I the favourite now?”  
“No. I’m still the favourite. I am the reason you’re here.”  
“I bet I am. Should we ask her?”

A loud boom shook the house and the gentle ever present pitter patter of the rain turned into a dull roar.  
“What is that”, he asked, his biotics surrounding him completely as he surveyed the room. The few crew he could see were just like him, guns and/or biotics ready. He was the only one unarmoured and unarmed. Well without a gun. But the Angara were completely unfazed, looking at his crew in amusement. So whatever it was, the Angara were obviously used to it. His biotics disappeared as he realized that. Now to calm the rest of his crew. “Cora.” She looked toward him. “Stand down. That goes for all of you. Stand down. Taoshay.” He turned back to Jaal. “What was that? What’s happening?”

“A storm”, Sahuna said, returning to his side. “Nothing but a storm. We get them every couple of months. Makes travel impossible but besides that they’re harmless.”  
“Loud but harmless. Good. Nothing to worry... Impossible?”  
“Sorry?”  
“It makes travel impossible?”  
“Yes, it... Oh. Oh, dear.”  
“Yep.”

The tempest was parked at Daar Pelaav. They had taken a shuttle here. And now they were stranded. But for how long?  
“How long do the storms usually last?”  
“No more than twenty four hours.” Sahuna patted his arm. “I’ll go find some extra blankets.”  
“Great. Grand.” They would all sleep here. No problem. There was plenty of space. What were ten more people to an angaran home? Oh. That might be a problem. He drew Jaal away to a corner.

“Taoshay, we might have a problem.”  
“Dearest, no. The house is big enough. We’ll sleep here and I’m sure the family will enjoy the extra time to visit.”  
“Some of the crew might not like the sleeping arrangements.”  
“Oh. Yes, that might be a problem.”  
Jaal had his own room but that was a rare thing in an angaran household. Everyone usually slept in the main room, huddled all together.  
“Yep. What-“  
“Or not.”  
Jaal kissed him before pulling him to his room.

“Help me. If we shove the bed against the window and move the shelf into the middle room...”  
“Yeah”, he said, realizing what Jaal was planning. “It will be a little tight but it should work. Jaal, you’re a genius.”  
“It will be less tight if we don’t sleep here but the main room with the others.”  
“Oh. Umm... Yeah.” What else could he say? He at least knew everyone better than his crew did. “Yeah, that will be fine.”  
“Taoshay”, Jaal murmured, pulling him into his arms. “I will be with you. We’ll sleep on the outside. To tell you the truth, I’m nervous too. I haven’t slept with everyone in such a long time. What if I snore?”  
“You don’t snore”, he laughed, pulling away and moving to the bed. “Help me. The faster we finish, the faster we can get everyone settled.”

**********************************************************************

“Scott, wake up”, SAM said over their private channel. “It’s your turn for guard duty.”  
“Thanks, SAM”, he whispered, opening his eyes. He ran his hand over his face. Or tried to. His arm was struck under something. He turned his head to see... someone laying on it. He couldn’t tell who. “Great.” He tugged but his arm refused to move. “Oh, come on.” He tried to sit up to get more leverage but that proved impossible as well. “What the hell?”

He raised his head, the only part of himself he could move, to see he was surrounded on all sides by Angara. And every one of his limbs was being slept on by someone.  
“It will be fine, taoshay”, he whispered, sarcastically, trying to get free. “We’ll sleep on the outside. This isn’t the outside, Jaal. It’s dead center. Oh, come on. Get off.” He heard quiet giggling to his right. He turned his head to see Sahuna standing at the edge of the pile. “Mysen, I’m stuck.”

“Oh, onjen. Hold on.” Somehow, he didn’t know how, she stepped through the pile to his side without stepping on anyone. “Hold on.” She gently shoved everyone off him and pulled him to his feet. “There we go. Now follow exactly behind me. Okay?”  
“Okay.” He followed her to the edge. “Thank you.”  
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.”  
“I need to go relieve-“  
“Stay.” He watched as she woke up Teviint. “Go relieve Feladyr. I need Scott.”  
“Yes, mysentev.”  
She returned to his side and wrapped her arm around his own.  
“There. All sorted. Walk with me.”  
What could he say? There really was only one answer when Sahuna wanted something.  
“Yes, mysen.”

They walked outside. The storm had moved off. Thunder could still be heard in the distance but the rain was back to its usual drizzle.  
“I love Havarl after a storm”, Sahuna sighed, as they started down a path he’d never noticed before. “The air smells cleaner. All the creatures are hiding. And the sky...”  
He looked up. The sky was a brilliant sapphire blue, no clouds in sight.  
“Wow. That is something.”  
“Isn’t it? Just a bit further now.”  
“To what?”  
“So curious. Can’t a walk just be a walk? A chance to be alone with you? I don’t get to see you enough.”  
She was up to something. But going along was easier than arguing.

“Surprised you saw me squashed under everyone.”  
“Mothers secret. You can always find your own. No matter how crowded. I also figured that would be where you ended up anyway. Your body temperature is cooler than Angara. You made the perfect cool spot in what is usually the hottest spot.”  
“I feel so used.” But he was glad how things had turned out. Sahuna was right. He didn’t see her enough. And with a cure still a long ways off, she was the closest thing to a mother he had.

They came to a small clearing. He looked up as a manta called out overhead. The sky was clear. So where...  
“They nest on a cliff near here”, Sahuna explained, seeing his confusion. “They won’t be flying tonight. Not until that storm’s further off.”  
He also heard a continuous dull roar.  
“And that is?”  
“Through that bush there”, Sahuna said, pointing to the left. “But don’t take but a couple steps. You’ll fall if you do.”

“Hate doing that.” He walked over and stepped through the bush, stopping just as he cleared it. Sahuna was right, he thought, looking down. Long way down. But then his eyes were drawn to the cliff opposite. Or more specifically, what was flowing down it. “A waterfall? You have waterfalls on Havarl?”  
“Not many outside the chasm of the builders. But yes, some. Jaal told me how much you love the ones on Aya.”  
He was turning back to her when he saw a plant he’d never seen before. Broad leaves and flower buds tightly closed.  
“What’s this”, he asked, crouching down and scanning it.  
“Don’t know if it has a name. It has the most beautiful light blue flowers. Only bloom the morning after a storm. We’ll have to come back and pick some.  
“Yeah.”  
He got to his feet.

“So why did you bring me here?”  
“To see if you liked it. Jaal did and he said you would. He promised he would ask you but he hasn’t yet. So... What you did on your ship was a nice substitute for the time being but here you and Jaal could.... Maybe.”  
This again. No matter how many times he explained that Jaal and he were content how they were now, Jaal’s family were consistent with their belief that they needed a home on the ground to return to. And since he had made the mistake of telling Feladyr Jaal and him wanted a place of their own when she asked why they didn’t just move into the family home, everyone was suggesting the perfect spot to live on Havarl. And now Sahuna was among them.

“Mysen...” What could he say? How could he tell her he-?  
“You’re not ready.” She laid a hand on his cheek. “I wondered. Now I know. But do you like it? For when you are ready?”  
“I love it.” It was his favourite spot he’d seen so far. “It’s perfect.” He placed his hand over hers. “Thank you for bringing me here.”  
“This is here for whenever you two are ready. I’ll make sure of it.” She removed her hand and kissed his cheek. “You’re one of us now, Scott. With or without this. Remember that.”  
“Thank you, mysen.”  
She smiled and stepped back.

“Since you’re up anyway, you can help me make breakfast for your crew.” She started back towards the house.  
“What are we making”, he asked, right behind her.  
“I still have some of those apples you sent us. And some of that weird grain. What was it called? Oat, I think. Anyway, I found a recipe for something called a crumble. Do you think everyone will like it?”  
“Apple crumble is not a breakfast food, mysen.”  
“Why not? It has fruit in it. You told me you eat fruit for breakfast.”  
“We do.” And it was hard to argue with her logic. Hard to argue with her over anything actually. “What the hell. Apple crumble for breakfast, it is.”

**Author's Note:**

> •mysen - true mother  
•mysentev - other mother  
•ongaan - what a parent would call one of their younger children  
•onjen - child, children  
Apologies for the delays. I am still working on your requests. The holiday season is a very tough time for me mentally. But writing helps as does the joy you all seem to get from my stories so your requests will get written. It will just take me some extra time.


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